Marchenko-Based Target Replacement, Accounting for All Orders of Multiple Reflections

Area of Science:

• Geophysics
• Seismic Imaging
• Earth Sciences

Background:

• Seismic monitoring typically involves analyzing a dynamic target zone within a stable, complex geological medium.
• Predicting surface reflection responses for various target zone configurations is crucial for effective subsurface analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient method for predicting seismic reflection responses for evolving target zones.
• To reduce computational costs associated with repeated seismic modeling in monitoring scenarios.

Main Methods:

• The Marchenko method is employed to isolate the original target zone's contribution from the overall reflection response.
• A novel approach models and inserts the response of a new target zone, accounting for multiple scattering and wave conversion.

Main Results:

• The method successfully predicts reflection responses for different target zone scenarios using a single initial response.
• Efficiency is significantly enhanced as only the target zone modeling needs repetition, not the entire seismic response.

Conclusions:

• This technique offers a computationally efficient solution for seismic monitoring of changing subsurface targets.
• The approach is valuable for time-lapse seismic studies and reservoir monitoring where target zones evolve.